1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers such as bottles or cans.
2. Description of Prior Art
Conventional container carriers are often used to unitize a plurality of similarly sized containers, such as cans, bottles, jars and boxes and/or similar containers that require unitization. Plastic ring carriers and box carriers are two such conventional container carriers.
The plastic ring carrier produces a unitized package for containers using little material. However, in its traditional form, the plastic ring carrier has little or no advertising or promotional printing space. Conversely, the box carrier generally has a relatively large amount of area for promotional graphics. Disadvantageously, the box carrier requires a relatively large amount of material, permits bottles to fall out if it is not maintained in an upright position, and usually shrouds much of the actual containers. Therefore, there is a need for a package that incorporates the stability and economy of a ring carrier and provides useful promotional area.
Flexible ring carriers are applied to containers by stretching the carrier around the perimeter of the container, and allowing the stretched carrier to recover, providing a tight fit. The carrier is typically applied to the chime or rib, where this structure exists, or to the main sidewall.
Application of traditional flexible ring carriers may result in inversions or local irregularities in portions of the carrier. In particular, the complex and variable geometries of carriers, containers, and application parameters sometimes yield undesirable, inconsistent or unpredictable local characteristics in the applied carrier, such as kinking, inverting, or cantilevering along the perimeter of the carrier or even around the containers. Such conditions may result in a loose and/or “floppy” package that lacks tight unitization of the containers or a non-smooth or inverted perimeter that is less aesthetic and the disposition of additional carrier features may be negatively affected as well.